starr



Oct. 22, 1929. P, g- 1,732,387

ENGINE Filed Jan.- 24, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 LBJ MMM O 2 1929 F. F. STARR 1,732,387

ENGINE Filed Jan. 24, 1924 4 5h69t5*$hee% 2 I .11 vex-27E? ZLJ f $232 j @ZMMM Z1 15 um-E 75 Oct; 22, 1929. F. F. STARR 1,732,337

ENGINE Filed Jan. 2 1,924 4 Shee'ts-Sheet 5 Patented Get. 22, 1929 UNITED STATES OFFICE FRANK F. STARR, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOB, TO DELCO-LIGII'I COMPANY, OF DAY- TON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAVIARE ENGINE Application filed January 24, 1924. Serial No. 688,324.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines and especially to apparatus for controlling the flow of fuel to the engine.

One of the objects of the present invention is to control the flow of fuel to the engine in accordance with the temperature of the combustion chamber of the engine. More specifically, it is an object of the invention automatically to obtain an initially rich fuel miX- ture to facilitate starting the engine when cold, and automatically to lean the mixture as the engine warms up.

In order to accomplish this object a valve which controls the admission of air to the engine intake is regulated automatically by a temperature responsive device heated by the engine cylinders.

Further objects and advantages of the pres ent invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of an engine provided with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the engine looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an end View of the engine carburetor as viewed on the plane 55 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View on the line 66 of Fig. 4. I

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 77 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings an internal combustion engine 2O resting on a base 21 is provided with an engine intake pipe 22 connected with the cylinder head 23 see Fig. 4. The admission of the fuel into the cylinder 24 is controlled by valve 25. Air for combustion purposes is withdrawn by suction of the engine from the engine crank case through a pipe L 26 which supports a tube 27 leading into a thermostat housing 28 which in turn is connected with a fuel mixer body or carburetor frame 29 which cooperates with a fuel intake pipe 30 to provide the carburetor of the engine.

The thermostat housing 28 includes a mounting pad 31 attached securely to the engine cylinder head in such a manner as to insure good thermal connection therewith. The housing 28 supports by means of screws 32 a bianetallic thermostat blade 33 having its fixed end in good thermal relation to the mounting pad 31 and its free end carries an L-shaped valve or shutter 34 adapted to regulate the passage of air through an opening 35 in a valve plate 36. A U-shaped member 37 and plate 36 are attached to the housing 28 by screws 38. The upper wall of housing 28 is provided with a passage 39 communicating with the opening 35. A bolt 40 passes through a swinging cover 41 mounted above the mixer body 29, and passes through the top wall of the mixer body and screws into the member 37. In this way the mixer body 29 is fastened to the thermostat housing 28. The housing 28 is provided with a removable cover 42 secured in the position shown in Fig. 4 in any suitable manner. In order to move the slide valve 34 manually, when desired, there is provided aplunger 45 which slides through a bushing 46 attached to the housing 24 and the inner end of the plunger 45 is adapted to contact with the blade 33 in order to move the slide valve 34. A spring 47 returns the plunger to the position shown in Fig. 3.

A mixer body 29 is provided with an air passage 50 including a restriction 51 in communication with fuel contained in a reservoir 52. Liquid fuel enters through the opening 53 and the excess flows out at 54, the level of which is such that the fuel is maintained substantially at the level of the line 56 see Fig. 7. The liquid fuel passes through a vertical duct 57 past a needle or adjusting valve 58 and into the restriction 51 by way of a small duct 59. The valve 58 is provided with a knurled head 60 held in an adjusted position by a resilient strip 61 attached to the mixer body 29 by means of a screw 62.

The body 29 provides a mounting flange 65 having holes 66 for receiving screws 67 which connect the mixer body 29 with the intake pipe 30. Pipe 30 is provided with a restricted passage 68 forming a continuation from the passage 51. See Fig. 4. Passage 68 merges into a passage 69 of larger diameter and is substantially the same diameter as the passage 7 0 in the intake pipe 22. The pipe 30 provides a priming well 71 which receives a felt plug 72 and an apertured disc 73. The well communicates with the passage 68 through a hole 74. Communication between passages 51 and 68 is controlled by a throttle valve 75 mounted for rotation upon the shaft 76 which is j ournaled by flange 65 and an ear 77 projecting from the body 29. The shaft carries an arm 78 by means of which the throttle valve is regulated.

The intake pipe 30 is provided with a flange 80 which is separated from the flange 81 of the intake pipe 22. The space between these flanges is occupied by a heating unit 82 which comprises two conducting plates 83 and 84 included between non-conducting plates 85, 86 and 87. This laminated structure provides a gasket between the flanges 80 and 81. Bolts 86 passing through the flange 80 and screw threaded into the flange 81 clamps the heating unit 82 between these flanges and thus secures the intake pipe 30 and the mixer body 29 to the engine cylinder head. The laminae 85, 86 and 87 are provided with openings in alinement with the openings 69 and 70 and the laminae 83 and 84 are provided with slotted openings 87 which provide com munication between the passages 69 and 70. The laminae 83 and 84 support non-conducting spools 88 carrying heating coils 89. One

end of each of these coils is attached to one of the plates 83 and 84 and the other end of each coil is electrically connected with the bolt 90, which passes through the spools 88 and receives a nut 91 which clamps the spools in position. Non conducting bushings 92 .insulate the bolts 86' from the heating unit.

Further details of the heating unit will be found in my copencling application, Serial No. 677,136, filed Nov. 26, 1923.

The plates 83 and 84 are provided with extensions 93 and 94 respectively through which electri'calconductors may be attached for connecting the heating coils 89 with the current source.

I pump through a pipe 112 and then from the pump through a pipe 113 to the reservoir intake 53. See Fig. 6. The reservoir outlet 54 is connected by a return pipe 114 to the tank 111.

Mode of operation lVhen the engine is started from a cold state the passage 35 is partly closed by the slide valve 34. As the engine is started by hand cranking or by means of an electrical starter, air is drawn into the fuel mixer from the pipe 27 and the L 26. The suction of the engine tends to produce a partial vacuum in the restricted passages 51 and 68 which draws liquid fuel up the pipe 57 and past the valve 58. Valve 58 is adjusted so that initially rich mixture will be produced when the slide valve 34 is in the position shown. As the engine becomes self-operative, the thermostat blade 33 will be heated by the engine and will The plate 36 is provided with slotted holes I 36 for receiving the screws 38 so that the plate 36 may be adjusted relative to the slide 34. In this manner the operation of the temperature responsive valve can be adjusted.

In order to choke the carburetor, the rod 45 (see Fig. 3) is pushed toward the housing 24, to close the passage 35 by valve 34. After choking to assist in starting the rod 45 is released to permit the-valve 34 to return to normal position, to control the air entering the carburetor to the initially rich mixture referred to. 7

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An internal-combustion engine comprising, in combination, an intake, a carburetor connected therewith, a conduit providing the main air passage for the carburetor, a housing having an end wall attached directly to the engine cylinderand provided with a passage forming a portion of said main conduit, and means for controlling the fuel mixture proportions including a bimetallic thermostat within the housing and having one end thermally connected with the cylinder adja cent said end of the housing, the other end of said thermostat being operable to control the quantity of air flow through said passage.

2. An internal-combustion engine comprising, in combination, a cylinder, an intake, a carburetor connected therewith, aconduit lying substantially parallel to the cylinder and providing an air passage to the carburetor, a housing located at an angle substantially transverse to the cylinder and conduit and having a passage forming a portion of said conduit, and means for controlling the fuel mixture proportions including a thermostat Within the housing and in direct heatreceiving relation with a relatively hot portion of the engine, said thermostat being operable for controlling the quantity of air flow throu h the conduit.

3. n internal-combustion engine comprising in combination, an intake, a. carburetor connected therewith, a conduit providing the main air passage for the carburetor, a housing having an end wall attached directly to the engine cylinder and provided with a passage forming a portion of said main conduit, an apertured valve plate secured to said housing so as to cover one end of the passage therein, a. sliding valve adapted to co-operate with said valve plate, and a bimetallic thermostat arm within said housing, one end of said arm being thermally connected to the cylinder, the other end having the valve secured thereto.

4. An internal-combustion engine comprising in combination, an engine cylinder including a combustion chamber, an intake passage leading into said combustion chamher, a carburetor connected to said intake passage, a conduit providing the main air conduit in the carburetor, a valve in said conduit, and thermostatic means in thermal connection with the wall of the combustion chamber of the engine and connected to said valve for operating it in accordance with the temperature of said combustion chamber.

5. An internal-combustion engine comprising in combination, an engine cylinder having a combustion chamber, a carburetor connected to said chamber, and thermostatic means thermally secured to the wall of the combustion chamber for controlling the fuel delivery of the carburetor to the engine in accordance with the temperature of said combustion chamber wall.

6. An internal-combustion engine comprising in combination, an engine cylinder having a combustion chamber, an intake passage to said chamber, an engine operated valve in said intake passage, a carburetor communicating with said intake passage, and thermostatic means thermally secured to the Wall of the combustion chamber adjacent the intake passage for controlling the fuel delivery of the carburetor to the engine in accordance with the temperature of the said combustion chamber wall.

7. An internal-combustion engine comprising in combination, an engine cylinder having a combustion chamber, an intake passage leading to said chamber, an engine operated valve in said intake passage, a carburetor connected to said intake passage, a conduit providing the main air inlet for the carburetor, a slidable valve in said conduit, and thermostatic means thermally secured to the wall of the combustion chamber adjacent the valve in the intake passage, said means being connected with the slidable valve and adapted to operate the same for controlling the air flow to the carburetor in accordance with the temperature of the wall of the combustion chamber adjacent the intake valve.

8. An internal-combustion engine comprising in combination, an engine cylinder having a combustion chamber, a carburetor connected to said chamber, and thermostatic means in intimate heat receiving relation to the combustion chamber for controlling the fuel delivery of the carburetor to the engine in accordance with the temperature of said combustion chamber.

9. An internal-combustion engine comprising in combination, an engine cylinder having a combustion chamber, a carburetor connected to said chamber, and thermostatic means in intimate heat receiving relation to the combustion chamber for controlling the fuel mixture proportions of the carburetor in accordance with the temperature of the combustion chamber.

10. An internal-combustion engine comprising in combination, an engine cylinder having a combustion chamber, a carburetor connected to said chamber, and thermostatic means in intimate heat receiving relation to the combustion chamber for controlling the flow of air to the carburetor in accordance with the temperature of the combustion chamber.

11. An internal-combustion engine comprising in combination, a crankcase, an engine cylinder having a combustion chamber, a carburetor connected with the combustion chamber, a conduit connecting the crankcase and carburetor for supplying air from said crankcase to the carburetor, a valve for controlling the fuel mixture proportion, and a thermostat in intimate heat receiving relation to the combustion chamber and disposed within said conduit for controlling said valve in accordance with the temperature of said chamber and the air passing from the crankcase to the carburetor.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

FRANK F. STARR. 

